‘DepEd acting on senior high school voucher discrepancies’

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Education is acting on supposed discrepancies in the voucher program under the Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education (GASTPE).

Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte gave this assurance, saying mechanisms are in place to identify discrepancies in the schools’ billings and refund excess payments.

“The PEAC (Private Education Assistance Committee) is coordinating with the schools and submits the billings to the Department of Education. If we see any discrepancy with the billing of the private school, we immediately act on it,” Duterte said in an interview with reporters on the sidelines of her official visit in Cambodia.

She cited the Government Assistance and Subsidies Office, which is tasked to review billings and other claims related to education subsidies and voucher programs.

At a hearing of the Senate committee on basic education on Wednesday, Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian said several private schools submitted erroneous billings or refund claims amounting to up to P80 million under the Expanded GASTPE program.

Gatchalian cited a report from PEAC on 19,000 undocumented or “ghost” voucher beneficiaries included in the program.